Icons, new stars and First Nations excellence: 10 key shows from New Zealand fashion week

The event feted its 25 year anniversary with labels like Zambesi, promising emerging designers and an explosion of Māori and Indigenous culture New Zealand fashion week took place in Auckland this week at the heritage-listed Shed 10 on Waitemata harbour and other venues across the city. Founded by Dame Pieter Stewart in 2001, now run by entrepreneur Feroz Ali, the 25th anniversary featured a mix of established names, exciting newcomers and a dramatically enhanced Indigenous program. The event boasted three separate group showcases of creatives from not just the Pacific region, but India, Taiwan and the US, in addition to the inaugural New Zealand Indigenous fashion symposium. The queen of Kiwi cool, Karen Walker, staged a takeover of the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki on Wednesday evening to present a showcase called the Grand Tour which featured “current, future and archival” looks from the Karen Walker label, alongside sneakers and streetwear designed for her longtime collaborators Adidas Originals and Levi’s, including customised Japanese denim pieces for Levi’s Blue Tab line. Aotearoa’s most exciting “new” fashion name, Claudia Li is a Chinese-New Zealander who studied at Lo